Ventilating shutter



May 11, 1937. c. J. RINDT VENTILATING SHUTTER Filed Aug. 50, 1954 Y lll Patented May 11, 1937 ATENT @FICE VENTILATING SHUTTER Carl J. Rindt, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 30,

6 Claims.

usefulness in the bedrooms of a home wherein night workers, children, or others must sleep during the daytime.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a Ventilating shutter of this character which is light and economical in construction, eiiicient in operation, easily applied and removed by unskilled persons, and of such a form and construction that it may be packed or stored easily and in a minimum of space.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device of this character of such a form that it may be constructed economically from a relatively inexpensive sheet material such as cardboard or similar composition sheets.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which embodies an improved ventilating structure adapted for construction from a sheet material and permitting adequate ventilation while excluding all light from the room.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a shutter embodying the features of the invention and in position over a window opening.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the shutter illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the cardboard blank of the top section of the device.

Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views illustrating the cardboard blanks used to form the inner and outer walls of the bottom section.

Fig.` 6 is a detail view of the fastening device employed.

While my invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, I have shown in the drawing and will herein describe in detail one such embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplication of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. `The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the form chosen for disclosure herein the 1934, Serial No. 742,074

invention is embodied in a shutter formed in two sections Ill and II which are illustrated in Fig. 1 in their cooperating relation wherein they cover a window opening I2 formed in the wall I3 of a room. It will be seen that the sections I and I I overlie the side and upper edges of the opening l2 so as to form a light-excluding seal about the shutter, and the lower edge of the upper section I2 overlaps the upper edge of the lower section I I on the outer side thereof so as to exclude light along this joint. Detachable fastening devices I4 are employed at spaced points about the outer edges of the two sections I@ and II to hold the same firmly against the wall I3 as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The present two-section embodiment of the device is preferred and is of particular advantage because of its convenience in packing, installation and storage, and for the further reason that the smaller sheets required in this form may be purchased and processed more economically. The sheet material employed must, of course, have a reasonable amount of rigidity, must be opaque, and be easily workable, and preferably its surfaces are of a dark color so as to avoid relection of light. Although many forms of composition board may be employed, I prefer to use a material known to the paper trade as cormigated board. This material is light in weight, inexpensive, has smooth surfaces, is easily worked in the production of the shutter, and possesses sufiicient strength for shutters of ordinary sizes. Throughout the specification and claims I will employ the term cardboard a generic term embracing the material actually illustrated as well as all materials having substantially the characteristics above set forth.

As will be evident in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the present embodiment of the shutter has the upper and lower sections I0 and II of substantially the same size, the upper section I comprising simply a flat rectangular sheet of cardboard provided with spaced holes I about its side and upper edges to receive the detachable fasteners I4.

The lower section II in the present instances serves as the ventilator section and it is preferably of such a form that it may be constructed entirely of cardboard sheets to exclude light and yet provide a passage of considerable area for the entrance of air.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the lower section II is shaped to a box-like form projecting inwardly of the room for a distance sufcient to allow for spaced inner and outer walls I6 and I'I which define a Ventilating passage I8. The passage I8 has an inlet opening I9 which is preferably adjacent the bottom of the section II so as to avoid the necessity for unduly raising the window sash 2D, this opening being formed in the present instance by terminating the outer wall I'I short of the lower end of the section II so that the opening i9 is in the form of a relatively wide horizontal slot.

In this form, the passage I 8 has an outlet opening 2| adjacent to the upper edge of the section II, the opening being in the form of a horizontal slot as shown in Fig. 1, and by reason of its laterally offset relation to the inlet I9, it will be evident that direct passage of light through the two openings is impossible. It has been found, however, that a slight amount of reflected light enters upwardly into the passage I8 and so tends topass through the opening 2l to the ceiling of the room. The present invention provides simple and effective means to intercept such reflected light, this means comprising a flap or bale 22 formed integrally along the upper edge of the opening 2I and adapted to be bent outwardly as illustrated in Fig. 2 so as to lie in the pathof such refiected light.

Similarly, a second flap 23 may be provided along the lower edge of the opening 2I, this flap preferably being bent inwardly to a slight eX- `tent so as to lie in the path of some of the innermost reflected rays. The ap 23 also serves to conceal the surface of the wall Il opposite the opening 2|, thus hiding from View a surface which in some instances may be slightly v illuminated by the light rays reflected back and forth within the passage I8. As a further safeguard, the lower edge of the outer wall I? is preferably bent inwardly of the passage as at 24.

The Ventilating unit II may, of course, ne permanently assembled by the manufacturer, but I prefer merely to form the various elements and pack and merchandise the same in a 'at package which may be stored and handled with greater ease. In Figs. 4 and 5 the wall sections IB and I'I are illustrated in their form as fiat blanks ready for packing or fabrication. As shown in Fig. 4, the inner wall section it has flap-like elements about all four of its edges, these elements being shaped to provide, in the finished product, top, bottom and side walls 25, 26, and 2'I respectively. At the ends of the top and bottom walls 25y and 26 flaps 28 are provided, suitableA holes 29 being formed therein to register with similar holes 30 in the adjacent side walls` 2l so that an inexperienced user may secure the Walls together with fasteners such as bendable staples 3l as shown in Fig. 2. In the present instance the lower flaps 28 are positioned Within the side walls 2l while the upper flaps 28v which are of a relatively small size are folded ontothe outside'of the walls 2. It will be understood that in the formation of the blanks, the material is lined. or crimped along eachline of bending, this lining being indicated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 by dotted lines 32.

The blank for the outer wall section I 'I, as shown in Fig. 5, also has flaps 33 along its side and top edges to provide for its association with the inner wall section. In the flaps 33, holes 34 are formed so that when the flaps are positioned within and adjacent to the top and side walls 25.- and 21 they may be secured in place by staples 3l'. The, wall I'Il is preferably positioned adjacent to the outer edges of the side walls 21 so:that.the. naps 33 may be concealed between the inner and outer walls and an air passage of maximum area be provided. Preferably the ap 24 is permanently secured in its inwardly extending position and for this purpose apertured ears 24a are formed on the ends thereof adapted to be secured by staples to the side flaps 33 of the wall I1.

In the form herein illustrated, the side walls 2l are slightly wider at their lower ends so as to provide a relatively large area in the air passage adjacent the lower end and thereby permit the use of the flap 2li without materially effecting the air flow. With the sloping inner wall It, the outlet opening is positioned out of the path of a large portion of the upwardly refiected light rays. such rays falling on the sloping inner surface of the wall I 6.

To provide for mounting of the Ventilating unit, flaps or flanges 35 are formed along the outer edges of the side walls 2l (Figs. l and 4), holes 35 being formed in the flange 35 at spaced points to facilitate the application of the detachable fasteners lli. These fasteners are, in the present instance, in the form of screws having a pointed end section 3l' screw-threaded so as to permit attachment to the window frame 38 as shown in Fig. 6, with a different thread 39 on the outer end to receive a removable clamping nut or head di).

As hereinbefore mentioned, the upper section mounted over a window to insure the exclusion of all light, it being noted that the bottom wall 26 has a substantial at surface engagement with the inwardly projecting window sill L32. The steps involved in assembling and mounting the device are all simple in character so that no mechanical skill is required of the user.

Of particular advantage is the construction of the device in such a form that it may be made from flat sheet material such as cardboard. This material being inexpensive, and the steps in the manufacture being simple in character, the present device is one which is adapted for economical manufacture whereby to place it within the means of the majority of potential users.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a Ventilating shutter, a Ventilating unit adapted to span and to be secured across a window opening and formed from an opaque relatively rigid and light sheet material to provide spaced inner and outer walls defining an air passage of substantial cross-sectional area therebetween, said outer wall being formed to provide a relatively large air inlet opening adjacent to one edge of said section and said inner wall being formed to provide a relatively large outlet opening adjacent to the opposite side of said section, and an opaque light ydeiiector on the edge of said outlet opening opposite from said inlet opening and adapted to project inwardly from said inner wall to intercept light rays reflected longitudinally through said passage between said openings.

2. In a Ventilating shutter, a Ventilating unit adapted to span and to be secured across a window opening and formed from an opaque cardboard material to provide spaced inner and outer walls deiining an air passage of substantial crosssectional area therebetween, said outer wall being formed to provide a relatively large air inlet opening adjacent to one edge of said section and said inner wall being formed to provide a relatively large outlet opening adjacent to the opposite side of said section, a flap formed from such material positioned along the edge of said inlet opening which is adjacent to said outlet opening and bent into said passage to intercept reected light, and a flap also formed from such material along the remote edge of said outlet opening and bent outward from said passage as a light intercepting means.

3. In a Ventilating shutter, a Ventilating unit adapted to span .a Window opening, said unit comprising a box-like inner wall section formed from an opaque relatively rigid and light sheet material to provide an inner wall with top, bottom and sidewalls adapted to extend from said wall to ward the wall surface about a window, iianges on the edges of said side walls adapted to overlap said wall surface, said inner wall having a Ventilating opening adjacent to its upper edge, and a light delecting outer wall secured to and spanning the space between the opposite side walls of said inner wall section .and in spaced relation to said inner wall, sai-d outer wall having a light-excluding joint with one of said other walls along its upper edge and its lower end terminating short of said bottom wall to dene an air inlet opening.

4. In a two-unit Ventilating shutter, the combination of a ventilator section formed from an opaque and relatively rigid and light sheet material ,and having a light excluding Ventilating passage therethrough, said section being adapted to span one portion of a window opening, a separate light excluding section formed from such a material and adapted to span the balance of the opening, and a bendable flange along the edge of one of said sections adapted to overlie and press firmly against the adjacent surface of the other section to form a light tight joint therebetween. 5. A device of the character described formed from an opaque relatively rigid sheet material and formed to have a substantial iiat surface engagement with the bordering surfaces about a win-dow so as to eiectually prevent the entrance of light about the edges of the device, said device embodying a Ventilating section also formed from such sheet material and having a ventilating passage therethrough and means providing opaque baffles positioned in said passage and operable to intercept light rays and thereby prevent the entrance of light through said passage.

6. A Ventilating device of the character described having a Ventilating unit adapted to be secured in spanning relation to a portion of a window opening and formed from an opaque sheet material to provide spaced inner and outer walls defining an air passage of substantial cross-sectional area therebetween, sai-d outer wall being formed to provide a relatively large air inlet opening adjacent to the lower edge of said section and said inner wall being formed to provide a relatively large air outlet opening adjacent to the upper edge of said section, said inner wall being positioned so as to slope outwardly toward its upper edge, a light deflector on the edge of said outlet opening opposite from said inlet opening and adapted to project inwardly from said inner wall to intercept light rays reflected longitudinally through said passage between sai-d openings, and a light deflector on the upper edge of said inlet opening extending inwardly of said passage to intercept upwardly reflected light rays, the inner edge of said deiiector being spaced from said inner wall so as to permit passage of a substantial air stream therebetween.

CARL J. RINDT. 

